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Sunday, 31 July 2011

Former 'Doctor Who' stars David Tennant and Sophie Aldred are to voice characters in forthcoming children's TV series 'Tree Fu Tom'.

The actor - who played the tenth incarnation of the Time Lord from 2005 to 2010 - will voice lead character Tom, a boy with magical powers, in 'Tree Fu Tom'. Sophie, who played the Seventh Doctor's assistant Ace in the 1980s, is to voice his friend Twigs.

The CBeebies show will see Tom encourage viewers to help with his magical spells with gentle physical movements as it is aimed at helping the movement development of 4-6 year olds. Kay Benbow, controller of CBeebies, said: "We have a fantastic cast on this show, who work brilliantly as a team. Their rapport permeates through to the programme reflecting the characters as a group of friends working together. We are delighted to have David on board as part of the team. The physical energy in his performance works so well for animation and his sense of fun and cheeky humour will delight the older CBeebies audience."

The animated series - comprising 26 episodes - will in air early 2012.

Here’s our first official look at Ewan McGregor’s new movie, Fishing in the Yemen ahead of it’s debut at the Toronto Film Festival who have unveiled these new images. He stars alongside Emily Blunt & Kristin Scott Thomas in a movie directed by Lasse Hallström.Ewan McGregor stars as a fisheries scientist who finds himself saddled with the task of introducing salmon fishing to the Highlands of Yemen. Director Lasse Hallström adapts this charming British comedy from Paul Torday’s acclaimed novel.

The Hallmark Channel has announced that Ewan McGregor and Betty White will join Whoopi Goldberg and other stars in judging a new heroic dog award show.

The American Humane Association explained the TV contest, the ‘Hero Dog Awards,’ recognizes “thousands of specially trained dogs giving comfort to people every day.”

Each dog will compete in eight categories: law enforcement and arson dogs; service dogs; therapy dogs; military dogs; guide dogs; search and rescue dogs; hearing dogs, and emerging hero dogs, for “ordinary pets who do extraordinary things.”

The winning dogs will strut their paws along their own red carpet awards gala in Beverly Hills. The show will even award Rin Tin Tin with a legacy award and present it to one of his doggie descendants. Rememberd as a movie icon, the canine star was rescued from the frontlines of World War I in France.

Other celebs listed to judge include Jillian Michaels and Kristin Chenoweth. The show will air on Hallmark on Nov. 11 in a 90-minute premiere.

Monday, 25 July 2011

David Tennant talks Pirates, plasticine and secret projectsWhile lounging around his West End dressing room waiting to go on-stage to perform in Much Ado About Nothing, former timelord Tennant, talked Total Film through how he's been keeping busy since stepping away from the Tardis.First up he's starring as a tight-trousered Las Vegas illusionist in the 3D update of Fright Night, then he'll lend his voice to Aardman's latest The Pirates! In An Adventure With Scientists (released 28 March 2012).“What a joy to be part of that. You feel a little bit of a cheat to take any credit for it, but really the stars of this film are the animators. What they can make a piece of plasticine is quite remarkable.""The other day I did my last session on the film and they brought the little model of [my character] Darwin down so I have shaken hands the plasticine me - which was strangely thrilling.”Also strangely thrilling is Tennant's next film project which he hopes to start work on by the end of the year. But he's sworn to secrecy on details:"It will be something entirely new to me – the process will be something I’ve never done before. That’s exciting and a little bit scary – and I’ve already said too much!"And don't rule out a return to the Doctor:"Not impossible forever, but no plans at the moment. People keep telling me that they’ve read online that I’m coming back – but believe me, if that happens I’ll be the first to tell everyone, I’ll be shouting about it very loudly.""I’m very proud of the show and I’m fully aware it casts a long shadow professionally, but I’m quite happy about that. It’s a shadow wearing a very cool, long coat!"Fright Night opens on 2 September 2011, and The Pirates! In An Adventure With Scientists! is arriving 30 March 2012.Source: Total Film

Listen to David Tennant's Saturday radio play The Purple LandDavid Tennant recently starred in a Saturday Play on BBC Radio Four called The Purple Land, and Anglotopia have uploaded it for you to listen to. Read more at Anglotopia

Celtic Football Club has announced it will be raising funds for the victims of drought and famine-hit East Africa at a forthcoming ‘Legends’ match against Manchester United.

Celtic Charity Fund, the charitable arm of the Scottish Cup winners, said the upcoming fixture will be used to raise money for Oxfam's East Africa Famine Appeal. Fans will be able to donate via phone and online as the game is shown live on ITV4 on August 9.

Football and entertainment stars, including comedian Billy Connolly - the patron of the Celtic Foundation - will also be collecting cash from supporters at Celtic Park. The United Nations said this week that tens of thousands of Somalis are feared dead after being struck by the world's worst famine in 20 years.

It was a night of the living dead as the young starlets of Scottish Youth Theatre enjoyed a monster mash-up. Actresses Elaine C Smith and Blythe Duff joined budding performers at last night’s ‘zombie prom’ to mark the 35th annual SYT Summer Festival.

The stars of Rab C Nesbitt and Taggart were guests of honour alongside SYT artistic director Mary McCluskey, who is in her 20th year at the helm of the national theatre for young people.

Just a few weeks before Hollywood heart-throb Brad Pitt turns Glasgow’s George Square into a zombie metropolis for his film World War Z, SYT made it a fright night-themed party to open its ‘Summer of Horror’.

The company is no stranger to famous names – Law Abiding Citizen pin-up Gerard Butler, Red Road star Tony Curran and Primeval’s Douglas Henshall attended the same summer festival back in 1985.

The custom-built £3.3 million headquarters in the basement of the Old Sheriff Court building played host to more than 100 participants, staff and friends. Guests were greeted by two werewolves on arrival, before watching scary home movies in the Brian Cox Studio. They then enjoyed a live performance from local indie rockers Sunflower Tuesdays, who played their aptly-titled single Party In A Graveyard.

Former teacher Mary McCluskey, who was appointed artistic director of SYT in 1992, said: “Young people have a fascination for things such as Twilight and Harry Potter and Buffy the Vampire Slayer and all things to do with zombies and vampires and werewolves and witches.

“I think that it’s a human condition that we all like to get the adrenaline going and frighten ourselves a wee bit. The buzz about this has been so exciting.”

SYT, whose former participants include Alan Cumming, Billy Boyd, KT Tunstall, Michelle Gomez and Karen Gillan, are staging three new productions in August, Prom Night of the Living Dead, Born Bad?, and Zombiism.

The first trailer for Steven Soderbergh’s Haywire has appeared online. The movie stars Channing Tatum, Michael Fassbender, Ewan McGregor, Michael Douglas and Bill Paxton, however they are all in supporting roles. The lead belongs to Gina Carano, a mixed martial arts fighter who, by the looks of things, can also act.

James McAvoy begins filming Welcome To The Punch in LondonLast Wednesday (20 July) it was announced that principal photography has begun for director Eran Creevy's Welcome To The Punch. Starring James McAvoy, Mark Strong and Andrea Riseborough, the film will shoot in 3 Mills Studios and on location in and around London, England.

Welcome To The Punch finds ex-criminal Jacob Sternwood (Strong) forced to return to London from his Icelandic hideaway when his son is involved in a heist gone wrong. This gives his nemesis, detective Max Lewinsky (McAvoy), one last chance to catch the man he's always been after. As the two enemies hurtle towards an unavoidable face off, they start to uncover a deeper conspiracy they both need to solve in order to survive.

Fox has announced that they will release Matthew Vaughn’s X-Men: First Class onto DVD and Blu-ray on September 9th, a mere three months after hit theaters. The film will be offered in two different cases: one features James McAvoy as Professor Charles Xavier and the other has Michael Fassbender as Erik Lensherr aka Magneto. The Blu-ray will include over two hours of special features, a digital copy of the film, ten Marvel X-Men digital comics including a new X-Men: First Class back story.

Television Blend has a lengthy report on the press conference that took place at Comic Con on Friday 22 July:John Barrowman and the cast of Torchwood together with writer Jane Espenson sat down with the press yesterday to talk to us a little bit about Miracle Day. While they avoided giving up any major spoilers, we did learn some interesting things about what’s to come for the characters. Find out what they had to say about Gwen and Jack’s relationship, Rex’s fate, Oswald’s mindset and some upcoming fights involving the characters!

The first trailer for Aardman animation's The Pirates! In An Adventure With Scientists has been released and already received rave reviews from those who have watched the promo online.

Due to be released in the UK at the end of March next year, the adventure animation features the voice of Hugh Grant as the Pirate Captain, with Martin Freeman, David Tennant, Salma Hayek, Jeremy Piven and Brendan Gleeson all lending their voices to the project as well.

A statement on Aardman official website describes The Pirates as a ‘delicious confection of piracy on the high seas’. Aardman co-founder Peter Lord has returned to directing duties for the first time since Chicken Run, alongside Jeff Newitt.

The comedy adventure is based on two books from the cult 'Pirates!' series by Gideon Defoe who has also penned the screenplay.

On Thursday, two versions of the first trailer for the film were released, one for the US market and a considerably better version for UK audiences.

A second teaser trailer from upcoming animated film Arthur Christmas has just hit the web. Just like the first trailer, this sneak peek shows Arthur (James McAvoy) telling people about the secret of Santa's elf soldiers in North Pole. This time, it ends with a scene where Arthur flees from a wild polar bear that chases after him.

Scots actress Kelly Macdonald is up for an Emmy award for her role in the TV series Boardwalk Empire.

The 35-year-old Glasgow-born star, who plays Irish widow Margaret Schroeder in the acclaimed HBO series, is nominated as best supporting actress.

Perthshire-born actor Alan Cumming has been nominated in the best supporting actor category for legal drama The Good Wife. It is the 46-year-old's second Emmy nomination for his role as the political manipulator Eli Gold.

According to Contact Music, in an article about ‘Harry Potter’ star Tom Felton, Tommy Flanagan is set to begin filming the war movie Grace and Danger, about allied soldiers who rescue a young woman from a village massacre. The film also stars Tom Sizemore and Tom Felton.

United tells the gripping story of how one team’s devastating loss in Munich inspired a community to rise up and bring back the glory that is Manchester United. Based on the true story of Manchester United’s celebrated “Busby Babes”, the youngest side ever to win the Football League, and the 1958 Munich air crash that claimed eight of their number.

This moving drama stars Jack O’Connell as the young talented footballer, Bobby Charlton, David Tennant as coach Jimmy Murphy and the highly respected yet incredibly pressuring boss Matt Busby played by Dougray Scott.

To celebrate the release of United on DVD from 8th August, WhatCulture! are offering you the chance to win a copy of this exceptional film.

In the basement club of the Ace Hotel on Thursday, the actor Alan Cumming and the perfumer Christopher Brosius celebrated "2nd (Alan) Cumming," the fragrance they created together. It was first launched in 2005, but demand overwhelmed the pair, and they shut the project down. This time, Mr. Brosius said, they're both prepared for success and committed to giving all proceeds "and then some" to two charities.

The first, which Mr. Cumming selected, is the International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission. Mr. Brosius's charity is the LGBT SmokeFree Project, a program that helps people quit smoking, a feat that continues to elude him. Mr. Brosius admitted that cigarettes did blunt his smelling capacities, but it was "more like wearing sunglasses on a really bright day."

Tuesday, 12 July 2011

A variety of new photos have been released for two upcoming horror movies — director Craig Gillespie's Fright Night remake and director David R. Ellis' follow-up to The Final Destination, Shark Night.

The latest photos for Fright Night center on one character, that of Las Vegas magician and vampire "expert" Peter Vincent, played by former Dr. Who star David Tennant. The character of Vincent has been mostly absent from the movie's promotional campaign, though he recently received a character poster in his native U.K. and finally made an extended appearance in the movie's latest trailer, released in June.

In the 1985 original, Vincent was a late-night, horror movie TV host (played by Roddy McDowell), who spends a good amount of the movie not believing that Charlie Brewster has a vampire living next door to him. In the new photos, Vincent is shown in what looks like his Vegas hotel room, and then then is depicted holding a shotgun, which usually wouldn't cause much damage to a vampire, but the cross placed at at the end of the gun implies that there may be more to the weapon than meets the eye.

*United, starring David Tennant and Dougray Scott, will be screened in Australian cinemas from 3 August.

* Series one of the David Tennant narrated comedy Twenty Twelve will be repeated on BBC 2 starting Tuesday 19th July.

* David Tennant is starring in Andrew Davies's adaptation of The Purple Land, which will broadcast on 16th July on BBC Radio Four. See here for more info.

* It is NOT confirmed, but a Deadline article mentions David Tennant in a forthcoming BBC project called London In Love:

Daniel Pipski has been named head of Working Title Television, the joint venture between NBCUniversal International and U.K.-based Working Title Films' Tim Bevan and Eric Fellner. He replaces Shelley McCrory, who had served as Working Title TV president since the company's launch in early 2010. Pipski has history with Working Title Films, where he started his career in 1999, eventually rising to VP. He went on to serve as SVP production of Sean Bailey, Matt Damon and Ben Affleck's Live Planet and Michael London's Groundswell Prods. and, most recently, as producer for Andrew Lauren Prods. At Live Planet, Pipski helped developed Enemies and Marlowe, both of which went to pilot at ABC. Since its launch, Working Title TV has landed a series order for Love Bites at NBC and has three projects at the BBC: Birdsong, an adaptation of the Sebastian Faulks novel; The Borrowers; and Love in London, starring David Tennant and Rosamund Pike. "We are delighted to welcome Daniel back into the Working Title fold," said Fellner, Working Title's co-chairman. "He started his career with us in 1999 and immediately proved himself a star. His taste and relationships are impeccable, and he will be the perfect person to lead our charge into the television arena."

In Cannes, U.K.-based Future Films (which also has an office in L.A.) struck a four-picture production deal with U.S. producers Howard Kaplan and John Baldecchi's shingle Fusion Films. Projects on the slate include Stephen Sommers' $12 million-$15 million "Odd Thomas," Randall Wallace's $50 million "Mercenary," toplining Channing Tatum; and Paul McGuigan's $12 million-$15 million espionage thriller "The Diplomat," starring Christian Slater and Hayden Christiansen. The $35 million Julianne Moore starrer "Nicholas North," helmed by Antti Jokinen, is also in the deal.

Future also is working on low-budget Brit train thriller Last Passenger, toplining Dougray Scott, produced by NDF Intl. and being shopped at markets by Pathe Intl.

Scottish actor Ewen Bremner is linking back up with fellow Trainspotting star Ewan McGregor for a blockbuster movie next summer based on fairytale story Jack and the Beanstalk

Ewen was speaking to STV at the Edinburgh International Film Festival, where he was appearing to promote Perfect Sense, the new David Mackenzie movie in which he stars alongside Ewan McGregor and Eva Green.

He said of the highly anticipated new movie: “It’s quite an extravaganza, a very special effects-heavy movie with these characters, these giants that are relating to humans. Technically it’s very difficult to make it convincing, but I think we’ve broken the back of that technology with things like Avatar. I think some of the same team that made that work are working on our film, and that technology’s advancing so fast. It’s a fantastical fairytale story about Jack and the Beanstalk, which Ewan McGregor is also working on, and Bill Nighy from Page Eight [a film also starring Ewen on at EIFF] is also working on as well, it’s quite exciting. Bryan Singer’s directing it, who’s made some really strong stuff, and it’s a big Hollywood blockbuster.”

The film is billed as “a modern day fairy tale in which the long-standing peace between men and giants is threatened, as a young farmer leads an expedition into the giants' kingdom in hopes of rescuing a kidnapped princess”.

Torchwood: Miracle Day is almost here, and to celebrate, we've got a whole week of interviews coming up with the big players! Stay tuned to Tube Talk for chats with Eve Myles, Bill Pullman, Mekhi Phifer, Russell T. Davies and Julie Gardner later in the week, but we're kicking off today with the big man himself - John Barrowman! Watch our chat below to see John chat about the latest twist in Captain Jack's life, firing machine guns at helicopters and the joy of "full-on, naked sex"...

The Scottish/American actor went from Doctor Who to Doctor of Drama at Glasgow’s RSAMD

Scottish stage and screen star John Barrowman was awarded an honorary Doctor of Drama degree by the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama on 5 July.

The Glasgow-born Desperate Housewives and Doctor Who star was presented with the accolade in the city, and said that he was delighted to finally be called Dr Barrowman.

“What’s really interesting is that 21 years ago I actually did my first audition for Anything Goes in 1989 here opposite Elaine Paige, got the job and wasn’t able to finish my degree, which I was coming over to the UK to get. And here I am 21 years later, I’ve finally got it,” the star told STV, before adding: “You can call me Doctor now!”

The actor continued: “I’m really honoured, I’m really chuffed and I’m glad I’m back up in Scotland and able to celebrate in full highland dress, and celebrate my heritage and get my degree up here."

The singer, actor and musical theatre star can be seen back on TV screens next week when the fourth series of Torchwood kicks off on July 14.

John is also making a welcome return to Glasgow this Christmas alongside The Krankies in the panto Robinson Crusoe and the Caribbean Pirates at the city’s SECC.

And it looks like the star, who relocated to the USA as a child, will also be spending some time back in his home country passing on his wisdom to the country’s up-and-coming actors.

“I slogged my guts out for 21 years and I did three-and-a-half years of school and didn’t finish my degree, so I think I did my groundwork [to gain the honorary degree]. And hopefully I can come to The Academy - or as it’s going to be called next year The Conservatoire - and I’m going to come give some master-classes.”

Machine Gun Preacher, Gerard Butler’s upcoming foray into serious drama, has been acquired by Relativity Media. Michelle Monaghan, Kathy Baker, and Michael Shannon also star in the film, based on the true story of former drug-dealing criminal Sam Childers (Butler). After finding faith, Childers travels to Sudan and is shocked by the brutality he sees. He becomes a crusader for hundreds of refugee children and brings peace to his own life in the process.

Hellraiser: Revelations (Part 9) is being released on DVD on October 18th, according to Filmsponge.Hellraiser: Revelations, produced by The Weinstein Company and Dimension Films, was written by Gary Tunnicliffe and directed by Victor Garcia. This film stars: Nick Eversman, Steven Brand, Tracey Fairaway, Jay Gillespie, Sanny Van Heteren, Daniel Buran, Devon Sorvari, and Stephan Smith Collins.

Just from the trailer and images, it's clear that Pixar Animation's forthcoming fairytale adventure Brave is Scottish through and through. In addition to featuring voice talents like Kelly Macdonald ("Boardwalk Empire") and Billy Connolly, The Scotsman (via The Playlist) has learned that Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire and Thor composer Patrick Doyle, another Scotland native, will score the film. It isn't finished enough for him to properly start scoring, Doyle is already taken trips to Scotland to listened unaccompanied Gaelic psalm singing for inspiration. He says, "It's revisiting what I've heard all my days."

The composer also says, "I want to make it accessible but to honor the Celtic traditions if I can. It's a real fable set in Scotland. I could possibly use the bagpipes as a drone or something that gives atmosphere, but I will resist instantly using them until I see what's going on... they are extremely loud." Doyle had the difficult task of scoring a Harry Potter film after the legendary John Williams stepped away from the franchise, but left his now easily recognizable themes around to play with. Doyle used the themes in combination with fantastic new pieces to great effect and his influence on the films still remains. Having a Scottish composer taken on the score for a film that is very much engrained in Scotland's landscape is just a fantastic idea, and I can't wait to hear what Doyle brings to the film.

Sunday, 10 July 2011

SCOTLAND’S film and television industry is to get its own “Oscars” back.

Bafta in Scotland – the Scottish wing of the British Academy of Film and Television Arts – is once again to give out its annual awards, after an absence of two years.

Now re-named the British Academy Scotland Awards, the ceremony for Scottish talent in movies, television and the gaming industry will be held in Glasgow in November.

Winners will be announced from 15 categories – including best actor and actress in both television and movies, best feature film and best television drama.

Nominations will be announced in October, but recent Scottish films such as Peter Mullan’s Neds, Kevin Macdonald’s The Eagle, David Mackenzie’s Perfect Sense and Sylvain Chomet’s The Illusionist are likely to be in the running for awards.

Television shows such as David Tennant’s Single Father, Taggart, River City, Limmy, The Scheme and Case Histories could also be shortlisted.

Three “special contribution” awards will be given on the night of the gala “red carpet” affair, which will be held on November 13 at the Radisson Hotel. There will also be an award for live television coverage of an event, with the Pope’s visit to Scotland, the Scottish Parliament and T in the Park all probable contenders.

Jude Maclaverty, the director of Bafta in Scotland, said the break from staging the awards ceremony had not been financially driven but was to give time for an internal re-organisation of the awards to take place. Because of the break in awards ceremonies, this year’s event will honour programmes, games and films from the last two years. Ms Maclaverty said this year’s event, which she hopes will be “glittering”, will signal the return of an annual ceremony. The event will not be televised, however. Now the criteria and categories of all Bafta awards, not only in the UK but in the US, are uniform, she added.

Ms Maclaverty said: “We are delighted to be staging the awards again this year, which will shine a spotlight on the fantastic creative and technical talent which exists in Scotland. The quality and diversity of the work is a credit to the industry. The awards did not happen last year, and a lot of people said the decision was about money, but it was not. “We had to get everything right with Bafta in the UK, in New York and Los Angeles, so that we are all the same – the same criteria and categories – and we didn’t want to go ahead last year and not have it right. “We are opening it up to everything in the last two years. We hope it is a glittering event. I know it was always an exciting event to go to and people from all the industries involved enjoyed it.”

Nominations for this year’s awards will be announced on October 17. The categories are: children’s programme, television drama, entertainment show, live event coverage, factual series, current affairs, single documentary, game, actor and actress for television and film, writer, director, animation, short film and feature film.

The Scottish film industry received a boost this week with news the country’s first film studio could open by the end of the year. Talks are at an advanced stage for a £3 million expansion of the Film City Glasgow project, which helped produce movies such as Red Road, Hallam Foe and Neds.

Sunday, 3 July 2011

Empire have released images of four new promo Fright Night posters, inlcuding the one above of David Tennant.See more at Empire Online

A Wharf press release this week said that David Tennant will attend the UK Fright Night screening at the O2 on Sunday 14 August (this has not been confirmed)

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Final Round of TV Choice Awards

David Tennant is through to the final round of the TV Choice Award. He's been nominated for Best Actor, and Single Father has been nominated for Best New Drama. Voting ends at midnight on Friday 8th July. Winners will be announced on 13th September and there does not appear to be a limit to how many times you can vote but just remember to click the "submit vote" button right at the end for your vote to count.Vote at TV Choice Magazine

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The Purple Land (BBC Radio Four Saturday 16th July)

David Tennant appeared in the Saturday Play on BBC Radio Four on Saturday 16th July from 2.30pm until 4pm. The play is described as "Andrew Davies's rip-roaring adaptation of WH Hudson's epic Uruguayan adventure."

The BBC Radio Four publicity announcement says:"Published in 1885, The Purple Land was the first novel of William Henry Hudson, author of Green Mansions. It is an exuberant, wryly comic account of a young Englishman's imprudent adventures, set against a background of political strife in 19th-century South America. Eloping with an Argentine girl, young Richard Lamb (Tennant) makes an implacable enemy of his teenage bride's father. Leaving her behind, he goes ignorantly forth into the interior of the country to seek his fortune. While doing so he learns to hunt, ride, herd, love and even kill on his way to becoming a man. In Davies's hands this "road novel" becomes a fast-paced romp in the tradition of Tom Jones, with a dash of Don Quixote for good measure. Producer/Clive Brill for Pacificus Productions."Source: BBC

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The Itch Of The Golden Nit premiered in Leicester Square on 29 June and had its television premiere on Saturday (2nd July) morning at 9am on BBC2.

The Itch Of The Golden Nit is an animated short film which was conceived and drawn by children. David Tennant has voiced two cameos roles but details have not been announced about which roles they are. The film includes a number of British stars including David Walliams and Catherine Tate. Following the broadcast there was a special “making of” section about the movie during Blue Peter from 9.30am. The Itch Of The Golden Nit was repeated on CBBC at 5.15pm in Sunday 3rd July.

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Much Ado About Nothing soundtrack CD on sale from 18 July

A soundtrack of David Tennant’s production of Much Ado About Nothing will be released on 18th July. As well as music by Michael Bruce, it will include two tracks sung by David Tennant and Catherine Tate. The soundtrack will be available from the Wyndham Theatre from that date until the play ends on 3rd September. The production also has an online shop which will most likely stock the CD too.

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David Tennant reading The Fir Tree is available from the BBC Learning websiteSource: BBC

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David Tennant has signed a Tenth Doctor drawing in aid of charity; see the artwork, and find out more at Art for Hearts

Ahead of its rebrand to Royal Conservatoire of Scotland in September, the Royal Academy of Music and Drama (RSAMD) has rolled out a poster campaign to highlight its 60th Anniversary.

The campaign, devised by the in-house marketing team, is made up of 30 posters, features well known and recent graduates from the Glasgow based academy including actors Alan Cumming, James Fleet, Billy Boyd and David Hayman alongside artistic director Paul Tyers, and actress Hannah Gordon, as well as some current students.

RSAMD will change its name on 1 September, which is highlighted within the campaign which aims to celebrate the success of some of its former students.

Each graduate features in their own poster alongside text that alludes to their success.

Photography was by K.K.Dundas, and around 60 portraits will be shown as part of an exhibition in the Scottish National Portrait Gallery.

"The RSAMD’s School of Drama has produced hugely successful actors such as David Tennant, James McAvoy, Daniela Nardini, Maureen Beattie, Colin Morgan, Phyllis Logan, Bill Paterson, Elaine C Smith, Alan Cumming, David Hayman, Ruby Wax, Robert Carlyle, Emma Fielding, John Hannah, Greg Wise ... the list is long and glittering."

‘Torchwood: Web of Lies' revealed for iPhoneA Torchwood iPhone app has been announced by BBC Worldwide.Torchwood: Web of Lies will be an interactive motion comic that ties into events of Torchwood: Miracle Day.

The parallel storyline will feature the likenesses and voices of lead characters Captain Jack Harkness and Gwen Cooper, voiced by John Barrowman and Eve Myles respectively.

The opening chapter will be available for free, with the remaining nine episodes available in packs of three for 59p each.

A special bundle with all ten chapters can be purchased for £1.79, while additional storylines will be available after the show has finished.

Torchwood: Miracle Day will air on July 8 on Starz in the US and on July 14 in the UK.

Merida’s actions inadvertently unleash chaos and fury in the kingdom, and when she turns to an eccentric old Wise Woman (Julie Walters) for help, she is granted an ill-fated wish. The ensuing peril forces Merida to discover the meaning of true bravery in order to undo a beastly curse before it’s too late.

Land of the Brave: How new Disney movie will put Scotland right on the map

They are the movie geniuses who took us to the world of scary monsters, the depths of the ocean and the heart of the toy box. And now the animation pioneers of Pixar are getting ready to bring their audiences the most fantastic landscape they have ever encountered - the Highlands in 3D.

The Disney-owned studio are putting the finishing touches to the next computer-animated blockbuster, Brave, the mythical story of a Scottish princess taking on magical forces across the Highlands.

The film is released next summer but the Daily Record has been given an exclusive sneak peek at the eagerly anticipated film.

But director Mark Andrews says the biggest star of the movie will be Scotland itself.

He has had teams of researchers scouring the country to make sure they get the scenery, the rain, the Scottish dialects - and even the midges - just right.

And Mark, who has worked on most of the other big Pixar hits but makes his feature directorial debut with Brave, says a lot of the credit for the movie will go to an anonymous Edinburgh cabbie who mapped out a special scenic route of Scotland for him on his honeymoon.

The director fell so much in love with the Scots countryside on that trip that he used the same cabbie-drawn map for his research team when they visited Scotland after Brave began pre-production in 2005.

He said: "The original story was written by Brenda Chapman who, like me, is a huge fan of Scotland. It's that old adage, write what you know and what you love, so she conceived this story and she wanted to set it in the place she loved.

"To set it in Scotland was a no-brainer. It's a place full of stories and full of powerful myths and magic, so what better place to set our story?

"I love the place. My family came over from Scotland about five centuries ago and my wife and I honeymooned in Scotland.

"We flew into Edinburgh and were planning to drive all over the country. This cab driver in Edinburgh asked what we were doing and drew us a new route on our map. We followed it and had just the best time.

"When we started researching Brave, we came to Scotland in 2005 and I told that story to Brenda and the crew.

"When we started researching Brave, we came to Scotland in 2005 and I told that story to Brenda and the crew.

"We followed that same cab driver map once again but went a bit further north and to places like Pitlochry, the Trossachs and then over to Skye and Harris and Lewis to see the stones. It was a two-week trip and we saw everything. It was fantastic."

Shot in the computer animation and 3D Pixar are famous for, the film has got a brand new look, with the bright animation filtered with incredibly lush and almost rain-soaked colours.

Mark said: "We spent a lot of time getting the research right. We have a midge in the film because everybody knows the midges in Scotland and we had to have one in there.

"The accents were also a huge deal for us, and the way your mouth moves when speaking with a Scottish accent is quite unique so we had a linguistics expert come in and work with our team. We also got lots of help from the Scottish cast.

"We realised Scotland is so lush and so textured and everything is weathered and there's a history and a veneer on everything.

" We couldn't downplay that or come up with some simple graphic design that would come even remotely close.

"Pixar are constantly pushing innovation of the medium so we put that to the technical crew that we wanted to get this look.

"We asked, 'Can we do this?', and they said they would give it a try. They have been blowing our minds with the amazing work they have been doing.

"I hope that Scottish audiences will see it and go 'Yep, that's exactly right.'

"While Pixar's next big-screen adventure is Cars 2, anticipation for the ground-breaking Brave is already building a year ahead of its release and a teaser trailer is expected to hit cinemas later this summer.

Originally titled The Bear And The Bow, it's about the adventures of Merida, a feisty archery-loving Scottish princess voiced by Kelly Macdonald.

She is at odds with her controlling but loving parents King Fergus (Billy Connolly) and Queen Elinor (Emma Thompson) and gets in trouble with some magic which has consequences for the whole kingdom.

Mark said: "It's all about the relationship between a mother and daughter, and how this young woman has problems with her mother.

"When she has a problem with her mother over marriage, she gets a magic spell to try to stop her mother bothering her with the suitor business.

"But it actually changes her mother into a bear."

Originally, Oscar-winner Reese Witherspoon was set to get all Scots for the part (with a creditable accent, if reports are to be believed) but a problem with schedules meant she had to pull out at short notice.

In stepped rising star Kelly for her first Hollywood lead role and her first animated feature role too, hot on the heels of her big-time success in HBO series Boardwalk Empire.

Mark said: "We are very lucky with our cast. It's a great Scottish cast and we're delighted to have them all on board.

"Reese Witherspoon was cast as Merida but we were really saved by Kelly after she had to pull out.

"This was her first animated role and she has done just an incredible job. She is a real hero and has been amazing to work with.

"At first, when she came in, she was a little bit shy but she got going very quickly and was soon a great part of the team.

"It was late in the day that we had to make the change so we are delighted it worked out so well. We were lucky to have her."

Mark is delighted with his strong Scottish cast but is happy to have one American honorary Scot, in the shape of former Cheers star and Pixar ever present John Ratzenberger.

Mark added: "The performances the actors bring to the part will definitely make it into the characters. You will see Billy Connolly in Fergus, Craig Ferguson in Lord Macintosh and Kevin McKidd in Lord MacGuffin. And Kelly is definitely in Merida.

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